Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
Many, many years ago while reading the story of the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17, the Holy Spirit highlighted verse 8, “When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” I was particularly drawn to the phrase, “Jesus only”. Those two words tumbled over and over in my heart over the next few weeks, but I couldn’t seem to lock in on what the Holy Spirit was telling me.
Fast forward to now. One morning Becky read me some excerpts from a book titled, A Song of Ascents, written by E. Stanly Jones. The book was published in 1968. E. Stanly Jones was a famous Methodist missionary to India during the early decades of the 1900’s. He was a very powerful man who ministered to the poorest of the poor and leaders of nations.
In the portion Becky read, he was talking about his journey into Matthew 6:22, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.” The original King James says, “If your eye is single…” E. Stanley was relating how he had his eye on so many more things than the person of Christ.
This what he wrote, “I was like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Jewish heart of Peter wanted to keep Moses, representing the Law, and Elijah, representing the Prophets on equality with Jesus, the New Revelation. “Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”” (Matt. 17:4)
Then a “cloud overshadowed them.” A cloud overshadows any person, any group, any denomination, any movement or situation where you make Jesus only one of your emphases. A voice spoke out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5) And they “lifted up their eyes and saw no one but Jesus only.” That was one of the most clarifying moments in the history of the Christian movement.”
Moses and Elijah, two of the greatest of men in Scripture were moved to the margin and Christ was moved to the center. As Becky was reading this I remembered what the Holy Spirit had highlighted all those years ago and instantly I knew what He was telling me. I, too, was living what the disciples lived. I have been moving people, things, revelations and so on to the margins and placing Christ in the center and my spiritual eyes are getting clearer and clearer.
Years ago the Father had given me a tremendous revelation of Himself and “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” began to be a reality in my own heart. I became a son in whom He was well pleased. Now it is time to “Hear Him!” The revelation of the Father will always lead us to a revelation of the Son.
Jesus brought this out in His famous “Eat My flesh and drink My blood” sermon in John 6. The Passion Translation captures it well.
The only way people come to Me is by the Father who sent Me—He pulls on their hearts to embrace Me. And those who are drawn to Me, I will certainly raise them up in the last day.” 45 Jesus continued, “It has been written by the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God Himself.’ If you are really listening to the Father and learning directly from Him, you will come to Me. 46 For I am the only one who has come from the Father’s side, and I have seen the Father!”
In verse 63, Jesus brings the Holy Spirit into the mix:
“You must allow the Holy Spirit to give you life from what I teach, for human understanding alone will be of no help. The words I speak to you are Spirit-breathed and life-giving.”
This is our journey and our destiny; all things summed up in Christ (Eph. 1:10).
Many Blessings, BW